Lithuania’s Kayakers Defended Honor at the Paris Olympics
This year, Lithuania’s kayaking and canoeing team defended their honor at the Paris Olympics with five Olympians competing in three different events.
Simonas Maldonis, Mindaugas Maldonis, Ignas Navakauskas, and Artūras Seja participated in the four-person 500m team sprint event. Meanwhile, M. Maldonis and Andrejus Olijniks competed in the double kayak 500m event. A. Olijniks also represented Lithuania in the individual kayak 1000m event.
While the team event finished fifth in the final, the doubles narrowly missed the semi-finals, finishing just 0.01 seconds short. A. Olijniks, who also competed in the individual event, did not qualify for the semi-finals.
Despite the setbacks, the team’s coach, R. Petrukanec, remained optimistic. “There are big failures, but it’s close enough to that dream,” he said. “We still have to look at the best result.”
The Lithuanian team competed in three different kayaking and canoeing events at the Paris Games. With an average age of 32, the team showed remarkable resilience and determination.
Future of Lithuanian Kayaking
When asked about the future of Lithuanian kayaking, R. Petrukanec expressed concern about the dwindling interest among young people. “Those guys and girls who get to the finals, they ‘throw’ everything after two years,” he said. “We try to create camps and rewards and outfits for them, but it still doesn’t hold them back.”
Lessons Learned and Future Goals
Reflecting on the Paris Olympics, R. Petrukanec expressed satisfaction with the team’s preparation and performance. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a calm and focused mindset.
Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, the coach hinted at potential changes in the sport. “We haven’t thought about it yet,” he said, “but there may be changes.”